Ben Spies

Elbows out: After its debut in 2011, Elbowz Racing quickly became one of the top amateur teams in the U.S. Photo: Elbowz Racing. Cat. 1 racer, and most notably, he started the successful Elbowz Racing team, which, in its rookie season in 2011, won more than 70 races. Spies won the AMA Superbike national championship for in 2006, and successfully defended his title in 2007, and again in 2008. He then went on to win the world Superbike championship in 2009, which he describes as nothing more than “a big dream.” Even with motorcycle racing at the forefront, Spies began cycling as a way to get in shape, beginning nearly a decade ago. Despite the difference in the physics and dynamics of bike racing and motorcycle racing, there are also similarities, in body position, and in the accompanying adrenaline rush. – Velonews